


you feel so good, right next to me

by sweesbees



Category: Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Multi, No-Death/No-Cave AU, Thanksgiving Dinner, uhhhhh idk how to tag that sorry lmaooooooo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:34:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29198436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweesbees/pseuds/sweesbees
Summary: When the food coma hits, it’s good to have the people you love by your side.
Relationships: Arthur/Lewis/Vivi (Mystery Skulls Animated)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 22





	you feel so good, right next to me

**Author's Note:**

> i… haven’t been feeling so good so have this short fluffy utterly indulgent drabble, hope it does your heart good
> 
> also i’m australian so thanksgiving isn’t even a holiday i celebrate ~~she doesn’t even go here~~

The main dining area of Pepper Paradiso is full of family and friends standing around a long line of tables pushed together. Chatter and hubbub fold over the sound of the radio, already droning Christmas songs from decades past.

The Peppers, consummate hosts that they are, have invited the Yukino family, as well as Lance Kingsmen and his nephew to share in a bountiful spread for Thanksgiving.

Lance’s heavy Scottish drawl stands among the conversations. The Pepper sisters run around the table, with Belle taking Paprika’s hand and running from Cayenne. Mrs Yukino talks with Mrs Pepper about their children and how they’ve grown, especially Vivi and Lewis. The post-meal glow has set in, and while the guardians talk about their now adult children, said children have moved elsewhere to indulge in the glow.

Lewis Pepper, Vivi Yukino and Arthur Kingsmen have congregated on the other side of the room, bodies sprawled over the seat of a rounded booth. Any awkward alignment of position matters hardly a whit - they’re just so  _ comfortable _ here. 

Lewis sits in the middle, leaning backward with his head drooping bit by bit as the idea of sleeping while sitting up grows more enticing by the second. Vivi rests with her back to Lewis’ side, having wrapped herself in his arm. Arthur stares up with his head on Lewis’ lap, letting the bigger man stroke the side of his face. Almost every other second, one or two or all of them would sigh in contentment.

“If there’s one thing I’m thankful for, it’s your family and their amazing food,” Vivi says, blinking heavily.

“Yeah,” Arthur grumbles, his voice straining under the effort to even speak. “And if I explode and die from this, it’ll be worth it.” He’s having a bit of a hard time as his hands gingerly cradle his distended stomach, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Through the haze, Lewis speaks with a simple, albeit slight apologetic offer in his tone. “You know, there’s still some pie left over…”

Arthur rolls his head back on his neck. “God,” he groans, sounding as if he has exerted himself over the mountain ridge. “Unless it’s still good in a  _ month _ , I won’t have any room for it.”

Even the unshakeable Vivi has had her capacity tested, and her emotions have ebbed into calm. “Lew, I hope your folks understand that we’re staying right here for the night. I mean, we physically cannot move from this spot.”

As used as Lewis was to a Pepper family feast, he has to concede that only one or twice has he felt positively stuffed to this degree. Even without a weight on his lap, he would struggle to get out of the booth. “They’ll be fine,” he replies, holding Vivi closer to his side. “They like having you both here.”

Lewis runs his fingers down to Arthur’s chin, playing with his little goatee. This elicits a smile and a chuckle from the exhausted blonde who heaves a winded breath before speaking.

“That’s good news. You know, last year when you and Vivi started dating, I felt bad for a lot of reasons, but when November rolled around, I was worried you weren’t going to invite me over!” he reminisces, his eyes rolling back to catch both Lewis and Vivi in his vision.

“Not a chance!” Lewis retorts immediately, offended to think that Arthur ever doubted him. “Even back then, we knew Thanksgiving wouldn’t be the same without you.” To double down on his affirmation, he smooths his hand down from Arthur’s neck to his shoulder where he massages ever so slightly.

Vivi reclines against Lewis, burrowing her back into the warmth of his side. “True. Plus I distinctly remember hearing Mrs. Pepper getting ready the day before and yelling at us: ‘Lewis! You better invite that Kingsmen boy to dinner, he’s too skinny!’” While Lewis responds with a light hearted good natured laugh, Arthur’s cheeks heat with blood at this insult and he sits up just a bit. As soon as he does, his stomach complains in the midst of digestion, prompting him to weakly fall back onto Lewis’ lap with a wince.

“I think I see where she’s coming from,” he grouses. Lewis moves his hand from Arthur’s shoulder to his belly, easing the grumbles with the remedy of his palm. Arthur adjusts his head in the nest of Lewis’ lap, a pile of feathers carrying his head and aligning it with his spine. Calm again, he closes his eyes and sighs.

“But really, I appreciate it. I know every time Uncle Lance comes over, he says it’s the best he’s eaten all year,” Arthur adds, opening his eyes back up and staring into Lewis’ eyes. The only drawback from lying here all night would mean that he doesn’t get to kiss those pretty lips and taste Tempo’s best cranberry sauce for a second time that night. But somehow, that was okay. Having Lewis and Vivi rest with him in the same predicament was a union as strong as any.

“At least that was only one year. Now you know you’re always welcome, and that you’ll be coming to a table full of love and relief that you’re here,” Lewis says, slowing down and sliding back in his seat. Now the food coma really was rearing its ugly head. He will welcome sleep when it comes, but he wants to stay in this moment a little while longer.

“That’s another thing I’m thankful for, actually!” Vivi pipes up, nudging the drowsy Lewis in the ribs. “I’m thankful that you finally ballsed up and got Arthur in on this three-person couple thing we’ve got going on.” Weakly waving her arms, she fails in her attempt to get Lewis down to her level, now that she has slid down to a half reclining position. “Look, if I could kiss you right now, I would. Just know that, Lew. You too, Artie.”

Lewis yawns and rubs his eyes. They started dinner at six, so it must have been a few hours of nonstop food and chat. Time could drift for all he cares, for he has his girlfriend making herself comfortable by his side and his boyfriend almost comatose on his lap. But what keeps him warm - what  _ really  _ stokes the fires in his heart - is the undeniable fact that they will all be here, same time next year, sharing good food and basking in love. There’s no need to move. They’re all where they want to be.


End file.
